THE JEWISH NEWS
Business
Climate
Control
A business mission
to Israel is just
one small part
of Doug Ross'
plans for Michigan's
long-term growth
NOAM GELFOND
Special to The Jewish News
I
f you didn't know Doug Ross,
you'd think he couldn't hold a
job. Since moving back to
Michigan after college 20
years ago he's taught in the
Detroit Public Schools, founded the
Michigan Citizens Lobby, headed
Common Cause, served in the state
senate, provided economic analysis
for a local television station, and ran
the Michigan Youth Corps — and
that's just a partial list.
Of course, it's by choice that
Ross keeps changing his work sta-
tion. Michigan's commerce director
since 1984, Doug Ross is amiable
and good humored, but he can be
tough on serious issues that confront
his state, his local community, and
the Jewish community at large.
As the man handpicked by Gov-
ernor James Blanchard to direct
(and in some sense re-direct) Michi-
gan's economic future, Ross must
find ways to re-invigorate dying in-
dustries and communities and at the
same time, help spur the growth of
newer industries.
One of the more novel ideas the
state has engineered is a business
mission to Israel to encourage the
exchange of trade and business op-
portunities between the two coun-
tries. Originally scheduled for last
June, the trip has been postponed
until November. As Ross explains,
the trip represents just the first step.
We felt the first step had to be,
as we identified interested Michigan
businesses, to give them a chance to go
to Israel and actually begin meeting
with Israeli business people, and also
so that both sides can get a better sense
of how business is done in the other's
country."
The goal of the trip, sponsored
jointly by the American Israel
Chamber of Commerce and Ross'
office, is similar to Michigan busi-
ness missions to Japan, Africa and
Western Europe previously under-
taken. "I believe in the Blanchard
Administration principle that if
Michigan as an economic community
is going to be successful, more and
more of our businesses need to have
international strategies. Competition
is increasing not just from other
parts of this country but from
around the world, and unless you
think in international terms, you're
not likely to succeed. So what we're
trying to do is help — particularly
smaller and medium size businesses
— develop international strategies
and make some international con-
tacts."
Ask Doug Ross anything about
Michigan's ability to compete, and
he'll keep coming back to that cen-
tral theme — international competi-
tion. He insists we don't have a
fighting chance unless we can com-
pete with the best from around the
world.
And while Israel is certainly not
in the league of a "Japan Inc.," the
Israeli mission does have the bless-
ing of the state's governor. Blan-
chard noted, "We've had many of
these business missions, and this is
the first one to the Middle East. And
if you're going to go to the Middle
East, the first place you have to con-
sider is Israel." He added, "It's
stable, and Michigan has always had
a good relationship with Israel. We
were one of the first, if not the first
state, to buy Israel Bonds."
And Ross emphasizes Israel's
strong reputation for technological
expertise, and points out that like
Michigan, the Israelis are anxious to
improve their ability to compete
with low-wage, high-tech countries.
Ross is no stranger to Israel nor
to the specialized needs of his people
and community. This trip to Israel
would be his fifth, but the first in an
official capacity. But then, Jewish
activism has been a part of Ross' life
since youth. For the most part a
lifelong resident of Michigan, Ross
went to Temple Beth El, completed
its confirmation class and graduated
from its high school program, show-
ing a knack for elective office early
by being a vice president of Michi-
gan State Temple Youth in 1959-60.
"I still remember that association
very fondly," he says.
It was in high school that Ross
first became more interested in
Judaism and in Israel. He then left
the state to go to college and says he
lost touch with the community at
that point. But when he came back
in 1967 and began teaching in De-
troit, he again became active, most
notably with the American Jewish
Committee.
As a member of the Michigan
Senate in 1979, he joined the Jewish
Community Council and today is a
board member of the Jewish Asso-
ciation for Retarded Citizens.
Ross also keeps busy with a
locally-based political action commit-
tee called MOPAC (the "MO" stands
for Motown). "It's a group of Detroit
Jewish community members who are
attempting to contribute to con-
gressmen and senators who are sup-
porters of Israel, and who also share
some of the basic values of the
Democratic Party. We're in the proc-
ess of seeing if we can't make a dif-
ference in helping some of those
people go back to Congress from
around the country."
Says Ross about his active in-
volvement, "I consider my respon-
sibilities to the Jewish community
among the most important respon-